It has come to our attention that in some wards marriage ceremonies have been performed for couples following their marriage in the temple, in order that non-member relatives and friends might be privileged to witness such a pretended marriage. We are also informed that in other instances relatives and friends of the newly married couple have gathered in the ward house or elsewhere following the temple marriage in a service somewhat similar to a wedding, where prayer has been offered, remarks made by the bishop or others, and at times pomp and ceremony introduced somewhat aping sectarian weddings. These practices make a mockery of the temple marriage; they are unauthorized and contrary to Church procedures and must not be encouraged or permitted. This does not have reference to the wedding reception which customarily follows civil and temple marriages. We shall appreciate your accepting this letter as a directive for your guidance in matters of this kind.
[David O. McKay, Hugh B. Brown, N. Eldon Tanner, Joseph Fielding Smith, and Thorpe B. Isaacson, circular letter, Dec. 20, 1965, quoted in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
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